Mail box



Aug, 23,' 1927.

Q. o. KOLSTAD MAIL BOX Filed Jan. e, 192e Patented Aug. 23, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OLE o. KoLs'rAD, or DULUTH, MINNESOTA.

MAIL BOX.

Application led January upper end with a deposit door located uponk the out side wall ofthe building and provided at its lower end with an outlet door upon the inside wall of the building.

It is the principal object of my invention to provide such a mail box adaptedto be built into the wall of a building and wherein all classes of mail may be received.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mail box which is telescopically adjustable at its deposit end so as -to lit within walls of different thickness.

Another object of the invention is to provide means whereby to preventV and effectively exclude cold and moisture penetrating through the wall adjacent the chute.

Still another object is to provide an outlet door for the mail box having an offset hinge whereby the door will normally remain tightly closed by gravity.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the following description thereof. Y

Referring now to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this application, and wherein like reference characters indicate like parts:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through a wall having a stucco exterior and equipped with my improved mail box;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary vertical section through the deposit door of the box;

Figure 3 is a similar view through the outlet door of the box; and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the outlet door, its frame an-d olfsetvhinge.

Referring particularly to Figure 1 of the drawings, 1 represents the lath and plaster of the building wall, 2 the sheathing, 3 any suitable form of insulating material, 4 the studding, 5 the furring, and 6 the outer stucco. While the wall of a stucco building is illustrated it is apparent that the invention is applicable to a building of frame or other type.

In carrying out the invention, I provide an elongated receptacle 7, which in width is just about equal to the width of studding, and is preferably formed of sheet metal and installed during construction of the build- 6, 1926.. Serial No. 79,684.

ing. The upper wall of the receptacle is iii- 'clined indicated at 8 and extends almost tov the outer sheathing. Within this upper inclined portion'of the receptacle is telescopically mounted the chute 9, which is made to snugly lit about the extreme inner flange of the deposit Idoor framelO, upon eitherside of which are formed ears 11 through which the chute 9 is riveted to the frame, and the frame to the wall and securely held thereto. The outer free end of the upper horizontal wall 12 of the frame 10 is inclined downwardly but a short distance forming a shoulder or stop for the door, and the deposit door 13 is hinged to the frame, as at 14, for closing the deposit opening. The upper end of the door 13 is in the form of a barefaced tenon which closed snugly behind the inclined` shoulder of the frame, and the lower .end of the door is made to overlap the lower inclined wallv 15 -of the door frame, so that when the door is closed as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 the same is preferably weather tight, or at least no moisture can enter therethrough. The deposit end of the mail box is made telescopically adjustable so that the saine may be adjusted to t walls of varying thick- V ness, whether of brick, frame, or other ty es;

the finishing material in all instances a utting snugly against the door frame.

The bottom of the chute 9 is cut from the remainder thereof a short distance forming a flap, and, after'the assembly is complete, is lbent downwardly as shown in Figure 1 to give 'the chute maximum capacity in any width wall, and also to form a guard in the event of an attempted theft of mail from the box. Y

The lower deposit end of the receptacle is also inclined and made to snugly tit about the inwardly pro'ecting ilange 16 of the outlet door frame 1 and thence bent sharply outwardly about an inch or so, so as to lie flush against the surface of the inner wall, the sides of said box being secured to the two vertical sides of the frame and through which the frame is nailed or otherwise secured to the wall. Fastened to the upper end of the vertical inwardly projecting flanges of the frame 16 are two inwardly and upwardly extending arms 18, to the free end of each of which is pivotally mounted as at 19 the end of a substantially Z-shaped door supporting bracket 20, the opposite leg of which is fixed in any desired manner as by rivets7 spot weld, etc. to the inner face of the outlet door 2l. This specific mounting for the outlet door is for the purpose of keeping the hinged connection sufliciently rearwardly of the fra-me so that the door will normally remain positively closed by grav; ity7 and about the outer face of the frame I have shown a felt strip 22 or other weather stripping` for further preventing the cold trom'there entering. To prevent the cold air entering through the deposit door and coming into contact with the inner lath and plaster7 causing the same to sweat under certain conditions, l have shown at 28 a thin sheet of any suitable form of insulation installed between the inner wall of the receptacle and the lath and plaster.

To add to the architectural advantages of the boX ll have shown the outlet door as being provided with a removable finished door 24 which slides over the rough steel door :2l as indicated in Figure 3 and is' held in place by the nished knob :25, the washer QG being installed upon the bolt 2? between the doors to keep them properly spaced when the knob is screwed tightly home, Thus the only ex 'posed portion of the box from the inner side of the building may be made to conform to the finish of the hardware in the building.

Having thus described my invention7 what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is;

l. The combination with a mail boX of the 'character described having a receiving door andv 'frame therefor, the upper horizontal wall of said frame having a flange forming a shoulder or'stop for the door inboard of which the upper edge of the `door is engaged when closed, an inwardly projecting Harige 'formed integral with the door upon the two sides bottom thereof for overlapping` engagement with the cooperative sides and bottom of the. door frame.

2. A mail box and chute of the character described comprising a` vertically disposed portion terminating at its lower end in an opening through the inside of the `wall and at its upper endV in an open inclined portion, an inclined chute the lower end of which is telescopic'ally engaged within'V the upper endv ot the iirst mentioned. portion, the opposite end of the chute terminating in anopening through the outside of the wall, the lower corners of the telescopic end of the chute being cut to permit 4of adjustment of the bottom of the chute 'for the purpose described,

ln testimony whereof I hereunto my signature.

OLE O. KOLSTAD. 

